Discover Istanbul

Day 01Welcome to Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul. You will be met and assisted at the airport, and then transferred to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 02Istanbul

Museum of St. Sophia

Today you will explore some of Istanbul’s many treasures that bridge the past and present beginning with the ancient Hippodrome, where chariot races and athletic events took place during the Roman Period. Next, visit Istanbul’s most famous treasure – the Blue Mosque, named for the beautiful Iznik tiles which give the mosque its interior color, and the museum of St. Sophia. Later, you’ll visit the famous Museum of Topkapi Palace to visit the dazzling displays of the treasures of the Ottoman Sultans. Lunch nearby. In the afternoon visit the Rustempasa Mosque and end your tour with a stroll through one of the oldest and largest covered market places in the world – the Grand Bazaar. B, L

In the afternoon, visit the Mosque of Süleyman the magnificent, built at the peak of the Ottoman Empire – ending your tour with a stroll through one of the oldest and largest covered market places in the world – the Grand Bazaar. B, L

Sundays: the Grand Bazaar will be replaced by High quality Shopping centers in the vicinity of the Grand Bazaar. Mondays: the Museum of St. Sophia will be replaced by the Museum of St. Savior of Chora. Tuesdays: the Museum of Topkapi Palace will be replaced by the Ibrahim Pasha Palace (Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts).

Museum of Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

Day 03Istanbul
Free time to explore this dazzling city on your own or take one of the many optional tours available to you. B

Day 04Istanbul
Transfer to the airport for your next destination’s flight. B

B – BreakfastL – LunchD – Dinner

TOUR FEATURES

All transfers to and from airports by air-conditioned vehicles

English speaking guide during the full day tours

3 nights hotel accommodation in Istanbul in your choice of hotels, based on double occupancy

Daily buffet breakfasts and 1 lunch

Luggage handling at the hotels & airports

Service charge, 18% VAT tax, and gratuities at the hotels

OPTIONAL TOURS
CRUISE ON THE BOSPHORUS (mornings)
Depart from the hotel. A brief visit to the Spice Bazaar, where the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice fill the air. Then embark on an unforgettable cruise along the Bosphorus, the beautiful strait that divides Europe from Asia. Winding between wooded hills, it is lined with mosques, castles, 19th c. mansion, picturesque villages and the extravagant baroque palace of the Ottoman sultans. The tour concludes with a drive along the Bosphorus to visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum, Istanbul’s best ethnological museum.

Half-day without lunch ISTANBUL IN ASIA (mornings)
Depart from the hotel. Drive over the intercontinental Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill (Pine Hill) on the Asian Side to see the beautiful panoramic view of Istanbul, and then visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens. Then visit a typical fisherman’s village along the Bosphorus with shopping possibilities. Return to the hotel. Beylerbeyi Palace is closed on Mondays & Thursdays.